How to tell port from starboard
On a boat facing the bow, port is on your left and starboard is on your right. The red sidelight is on the port side and the green one is on the starboard side. These names belong to the boat. Look straight at the bow of an approaching boat and its port side is on your right.
By VaarlichtUpdated on
Explore the full KVB1 courseLooking towards the bow
The boat is coming towards you
Find left and right on the boat
Imagine standing at the back of the boat and looking towards the bow, the front. Port is on your left and starboard is on your right. Turn around to face the stern and the same side of the boat is still port. Only your viewpoint changes.
How do you remember port and starboard?
The Dutch words help. Stuurboord, starboard, is the right side because that is where the rudder used to be. Bakboord, port, comes from the old word bak, meaning back: the helmsman stood with his back to the left side.
Remember the colours with them: port is red, starboard is green.
What do you see when a boat comes towards you?
Imagine a motorboat with both sidelights on coming straight towards you. You see its green starboard light on the left and its red port light on the right. Left and right describe your view. The colours identify the sides of the other boat.
Why can you sometimes see only one sidelight?
Each sidelight covers only part of the horizon. From directly alongside, you can see only the sidelight on the side facing you. From directly behind, you can see neither sidelight. Other lights, such as the sternlight, can be visible from there.
In the free first lesson for the Dutch Klein Vaarbewijs 1 (KVB1), you can move around a drawing of a boat and watch the lights come into and out of view.
See the situation. Understand the rule.
In the Klein Vaarbewijs 1 course, you move your viewpoint around a vessel and see which lights are visible. Then answer questions with explanations.
The first 3 lessons are free, no account needed.
KVB1 complete: €10 once, 12 months of access. The CBR exam is paid separately.
Sources for this guide
Follow the sources for official rules and current conditions. Vaarlicht is an online course from Kurverscode for the Dutch boating licence, in Dutch and English. Vaarlicht is independent of the CBR and does not issue boating licences.